


Midnight Rose

by abcsupercorp



Series: Angsty Stories [3]
Category: Legacies (TV 2018)
Genre: A LOT of Angst, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Mythology, Angst, Angst and Romance, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/F, Full Tribrid Hope, Greek gods, Heavy Angst, Lore - Freeform, Lots of Angst, Mutual Pining, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Pining, Temporarily Unrequited Love, Temporary Character Death, Unrequited Crush, Unrequited Love, and Josie is dead at one point, and crying, lots of pining, no humanity hope
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-15
Updated: 2020-09-16
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:08:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,809
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26483920
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/abcsupercorp/pseuds/abcsupercorp
Summary: Josie can't help but feel a tingling sensation when she sees Hope and Landon, being each other's epic love. She tries to brush it off, but this isn't what she was hoping fororANOTHER HANAHAKI HOSIE AU BECAUSE I LOVE CRYING AND I LOVE ANGST.oh and after Josie dies, Hope turns her humanity off and does a lot of shit because Josie was her everything ^_^
Relationships: Hope Mikaelson & Josie Saltzman, Hope Mikaelson/Josie Saltzman, Landon Kirby & Hope Mikaelson, Landon Kirby/Hope Mikaelson
Series: Angsty Stories [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1923358
Comments: 1
Kudos: 25





	1. Act I; Scene I; Bloom Of A Rose.

**Author's Note:**

> enjoy! 
> 
> The reincarnation was inspired by the author of take a trip into my garden

Sitting in the library, as comfortable as she can be, Josie's reading a book. A book on _myths, legends, fables and lore_. She hears a sound of laughter. A laughter that is so beautiful and so pure, it encompasses Josie's heart with a tingling sensation. She looks up to see Landon and Hope, hand in hand, Landon spins Hope around and Hope laughs. Hope is looking at him like he's the most amazing person she's ever laid her eyes on, like he hung the moon and the stars, and Josie can't help but feel a crawling sensation in her throat. Something burning inside of it. 

Josie had spent several days avoiding the couple because it hurt too much to be around either of them. It'd been two weeks since Landon ran off to express his undeniable love to Hope, leaving Josie in heartbreak, but Josie all at the same time understands why. When the memories of Hope Mikaelson returned to everyone, all the memories and emotions, all the feelings Josie had, hit Josie all at once, like a truck, pushing Josie into a wall of undeniable love, for the tribrid. Hope Mikaelson, Josie's biggest crush back when she was 13 and Hope was 15. Hope Mikaelson, daughter of the great evil and Hayley Marshall. Hope Mikaelson, the girl Josie was so wrapped up in that she sent Hope's room ablaze and set a wall between her and her sister. Hope Andrea Mikaelson, the girl Josie Saltzman is inexorably, irrevocably, in love with. Hope Mikaelson, Josie's greatest love and will inevitably be her most epic heartbreak. 

"Hey Josie." Says a voice, Josie looks up to see the couple approaching her.

"Hi guys.." Josie says as quiet as she can be.

Hope leans in and Josie catches a whiff of her scent. _Honeydew and Pine mixed with a light botanic scented perfume_. A classic Hope Mikaelson scent. She chuckles, "Myths, Legends, Fables and Lore again?" Hope asks. Josie takes in the sound of Hope's chuckle. It's so beautiful and magnificent, she could fall asleep listening to it. 

"Y-yeah." Josie replies. Her head starts to throb and her stomach coils uncomfortably. She coughs violently and abruptly, coughing into her mouth to reveal a petal. She's quickly crumpling it so nobody sees. 

"Whoa, are you okay?" Hope asks, now worried.

"I'm fine," Josie lies, coughing again and again, more and more intensely.

"Josie, you don't look too good. What if I walked you to-" Hope as cut off.

"N-no, please, it's okay." Josie lies again, coughing more and more into her palm. "Excuse me" she gets up and brushes past the couple, leaving her bag. Ignoring Hope calling her name.

"Josie, wait! Your bag!" Hope calls, but Josie's gone. "I better take this back to her." 

Josie runs into the bathroom and finds herself coughing more and more, she looks into the palm of her hand and sees flower petals covered in her blood. 

"What the fuck?" she mutters to herself. 

* * *

Josie returns to her dorm and finds herself drifting in and out of sleep. There's a knock on the door. She gets up and opens it, to reveal Hope Mikaelson, holding her bag.

"Hope." She says softly.

"Hey Jo, sorry to bother you, but you left your bag in the library." Hope tells her, handing her the bag. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Josie nods, "Ye-yeah, I'm fine. Just been kind of a long day." she lies, "I guess I must have had a tickle in my throat." 

Hope nods understandingly. "Well, Landon and I are going to go grab some lunch, do you want to join us? We miss you.-" Josie's mind cuts Hope out as the words replay in her mind, _Landon and I, Landon and I, Landon and I._ Landon, Hope's one true soulmate. Her epic love. Josie's stomach coils uncomfortably and the burning sensation tingles in her throat again, she feels like she might throw up.

"And we'd love it if we could all hang out again, you're my best friend in the whole world, you're so special to me, and-" Hope notices Josie looks sickly pale now. "Are you okay?"

Josie takes the bag from Hope. "I'm okay. Thank you. But I'm sorry, I don't think I can join you guys today." 

Hope looks slightly disappointed. She misses Josie. A lot. A lot more than she can even begin to explain, she nods understandingly. "That's okay, what about next time?" 

"Maybe." Josie replies, the searing sensation is too much for Josie to handle that she drops her bag at Hope's feet. "Ex-excuse me." she pushes past Hope, running into the bathroom.

She runs into a stall and finds herself unable to breathe, she finds herself gagging until she realizes she's throwing up flower petals and blood, the burning pain still in her throat and she's throwing up until the searing pain is gone. She stares down at the toilet. "What the hell is happening?" she says as she is shaking vigorously. 

* * *

Josie heads into the library, hoping Hope or Landon don't spot her. She is searching through every possible book that she can find to explain why the hell she's throwing up flowers and petals. She finds nothing. 

"God!" She cries as she throws her head back in frustration. "What is happening to me!" 

"Josie?" Says a voice, Josie looks up and finds the one person she least wants to see at the moment, as harsh as that sounds. Hope Mikaelson. 

"Hope." Josie says, "Um, hi."

"Is everything okay, Josie?" Hope asks worriedly.

"Everything's fine." Josie says, but she's clearly lying. 

"Are you sure? You look rather upset. Do you need me to get your sister?" Hope offers.

Josie shakes her head, "No, it's fine." She lies. The crawling sensation is back, the coiling in her stomach returns and she stands up abruptly, starling the tribrid. "Thanks for checking up on me, but I-I gotta run." she pushes past Hope and runs, ignoring Hope calling her name and pleading for her to _'come back'_. She rushes into the bathroom, her stomach coiling in an unbearable pain, and she finds herself throwing up petals and blood again, and again, and again. She starts to cry uncontrollably, and finds herself unable to stop. Somebody rushes into the bathroom. Josie quickly flushes the proof, but is unable to move.

"Josie?" says a voice, Lizzie. "Josie, where are you?" she hears crying from the stall and opens it to see a sobbing, uncontrollably crying Josie. "Oh my God." she gets down to her sister's level. "Jo, can you breathe with me? Calm down, okay?" 

"I-I can't." Josie gasps, she's still crying, her vision getting blurred that she can barely see her sister anymore.

"Please, Jo. Listen to the sound of my voice. Breathe with me, okay? Can I hug you?" Lizzie asks, Josie nods and Lizzie wraps her arms around her sister protectively and tries to count. "in and out, okay? Just like we always do."

Josie nods, shutting her eyes, breathing in and out, she tries to steady her breathing but she's in _so much fucking pain_ that it's nearly impossible for her to breathe. Soon enough, her breathing settles. She opens her eyes. "Liz-Lizzie?"

"I'm here Josie." Lizzie says as she wipes away Josie's tears. "I could feel you in pain, what happened?"

Josie's shaking, "Something's happening to me, and I don't know what it is." she sobs.

Lizzie squeezes her in a tight hug, "Whatever it is, we can figure this out together, okay?" 

"I-I can't Lizzie." Josie sobs, "Th-the pain, it's-it's too much." 

Lizzie feels her own heart break, "Shhh, it's okay Josie, I'm here now. I won't let anything happen to you. I promise." 

* * *

After the bathroom incident, Josie's back in the library. She finds herself reading through every book again, when something catches her eye. A drawing of a woman, who looks much like Josie, coughing up _cherry blossoms_ with the title _'The curse of Unrequited Love'._

**_Hanahaki disease:_ **

Josie's finger traces over the words, "Hanahaki disease?" she whispers, "This can't be good." 

_"Hanahaki disease is a disease born from an unrequited love. A victim will start coughing up or throwing up flowers from a plant flowering in their lungs. There is no cure to this disease. The only way to save the victim is if the love is returned, otherwise, the victim will eventually die from suffocation, due to the plant being too large that it renders the victim's breathing almost_ _immediately, causing an unfortunate death."_

  
  


"Great, so I'm dying!" Josie laughs while sobbing. "There has to be more of an answer here." She tries to scan the page. 

_The origin of the hanahaki disease;_

_There once a man by the name of Orville, Orville was in love with a beautiful maiden by the name of Althea. Althea loved Orville all the same, but she was arranged to marry a man from her village by the name of Birney. Birney was envious of Orville and asked that a witch cast a curse on his soul and his descendants, causing the requited love that wasn't meant to be, Orville started coughing up flowers and inevitably died due to the flowers rendering his ability to breathe, Althea, ridden with grief, took her own life. Birney was angry and asked the witch to curse Althea's soul and that of her descendants as well. The curse meant that the souls and descendants of Orville would fall in love with the soul or descendant of Althea, giving them the disease and having Orville's soul or descendant fall in love over and over again, all ending with the same horrific death known as the_ **_hanahaki disease._ **

Josie traced over the words, she looks up and gasps, dawning on the realization "I'm Orville's reincarnated soul." she says quietly, "And that means Hope is somehow related to Althea." 

"You are correct, Josette." Says a voice. Josie whips her head around to see a God standing in front of her..

"Who..who are you?" Josie asks.

"My name is Pothos." He replies. "You are indeed Orville's reincarnated soul, and Hope is Althea's chosen descendant ." 

"I-I don't understand." Josie says, "What do I have to do to have this curse removed?"

"You must tell Hope how you feel." Pothos replies. 

"I-I can't." Josie says, "She wouldn't feel the same way." 

"Then I am afraid you only have one other solution, and that is to take a cure that my fellow Gods and I have created." Pothos says.

"What does the cure do?" Josie asks.

"The cure will free you from this curse, but it will also cause an unfortunate death to Hope Mikaelson." Pothos says. "Hope is your soulmate, Josette. Due to the fact that your soul was once Orville's and Hope is Althea's soul's chosen descendent." 

"Landon is Hope's soulmate." Josie says, shaking her head and tears spilling out. "She will _never_ love me back." 

"Time is of essence, Josette. Make what you will of it." Pothos says..and then he's gone.

Josie tilts her head back and groans, "Fuck!"


	2. Act I: Scene II: Death Of My Lover.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> xx

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> xx

Josie actively avoids Hope the next few weeks. It's all too much for her to see Hope right now. See Hope and Landon, being each other's greatest love. Each others' epic love.

Hope doesn't like that Josie's been avoiding her. She has this terrible feeling that something awful is going to happen. Starting with Josie and ending with a terrible faith.

"Lizzie." Hope says as she walks over to her friend, "Josie's been avoiding me for the past 2 weeks.." 

"She has?" Lizzie asks, "That doesn't sound like her." 

"I know.." Hope replies, "Do you know why? Did I do something? I know I got back together with Landon and everything but did I-" Lizzie saw Hope was about to cry.

"Hey, Hope, it's okay." Lizzie says, "Perhaps Josie needs some space." 

"Four weeks of avoiding me seems like plenty of space, Lizzie." Hope replies anxiously. "Were you aware that she's been looking more and more ill?"

Lizzie smiles, she knows something Hope doesn't, not yet anyways, "You're really worried about her, aren't you?" 

"I am so worried, Lizzie. Please, please help me." Hope pleads.

"Tell you what, Give Josie space, let her come to you, Hope." Lizzie tells her, "And I'll try and see if I can talk to her and see what's wrong, okay?"

"Thank you." Hope says as she pulls Lizzie in for a hug. "Thank you so much."

"I didn't know you had such a soft spot for my sister, Mikaelson. Maybe there _is_ more to you than what meets the eye." Lizzie tells her. 

Hope blushes, "I care for her." 

* * *

Josie is still reading up on the hanahaki disease, trying to figure out if there's any other possible way to be freed from this horrible curse. She finds a booklet and opens it. 

_March 11th 1915:_

_My name is Birney, I am destined to marry a beautiful maiden named Althea. Unfortunately, Althea's heart has been stolen by a man in plaid, his name is Orville. I have spoken to a witch, and she says she shall cast a curse on Orville, and if his love remains, upon his death, a rose shall bloom out of him_

Josie gasps once she realizes that this is the journal of Birney, the man who cursed Orville. The man who started this whole mess. She kept reading.

_March 15th 1916:_

_Orville is dead, and Althea is too. Upon discovering Orville's death, Althea took her own life. I had the witch curse all of Althea's descendants and Althea's soul, along with Orville's. I shall call it the hanahaki disease. Their souls and descendants shall face the same faith, over and over again._

"Christ, this dude is maddening.." Josie mumbles.

* * *

"Josie!" Says a voice, it's Lizzie. She walks over, "Josie, why are you avoiding Hope?" 

"What?" Josie asks.

"Don't play dumb. Hope's really worried about you, and quite frankly, I am too. What the hell is going on with you? I thought Hope's your best friend." Lizzie says as she sits down.

"She is! but-it's complicated." Josie replies.

"Jo, our whole life is fucking whack! Just tell me." Lizzie says. 

"I'm dying." Josie blurts out.

"What?" Lizzie asks. " _What do you mean you're dying?"_

"I mean I have a disease called Hanahaki disease and I was cursed with it because I'm a reincarnated soul of a man named Orville." Josie explains. "I'm cursed with it because I'm in love with…"

"With??" Lizzie asks. Then she gasps. "Hope Mikaelson." 

Josie nods, "Yes. That night you found me in the bathroom, it was just after I spewed up flowers. _Lavender Roses._ , Lizzie."

"Hope's favorite flower." Lizzie dawns on the realization. 

"Yep." Josie replies. "And I-I can't be near Hope. It hurts too much. She and Landon are almost never apart. How am I supposed to be near her when she's my epic love but Landon's hers?"

"Well, you're not going to just _allow_ yourself to die either, are you?" Lizzie asks.

"For Hope? Maybe." Josie replies.

"You can't just avoid her, Josie. She's so worried about you. She's acting like a worried girlfriend, If I had half the mind, I'd say she's in love with you." Lizzie says. "Maybe you should tell her." 

"Lizzie, no." Josie replies. "I can't tell her and neither can you. Promise me."

"Fine," Lizzie sighs, "Fine! but if anything happens to you, she's the first to know." she pauses, "And no keeping me in the dark, if you're dying, I need you to tell me when you don't feel okay." 

"I promise." Josie replies .

* * *

Josie spends the next few days, still avoiding Hope. It hurts too much to be around her. That is until Hope catches up to her.

"Josie, why are you avoiding me?" Hope asks. She has Josie cornered in the library.

Josie panics, "I'm not."

" _Yes_ you are, you've been avoiding me for the past four weeks." Hope says. 

"Hope-" Hope cuts her off.

"Please Josie, what did I do? Is it because I'm with Landon?" Hope asks.

"No, it's not that." Josie replies.

"Then what is it?" Hope asks.

"It hurts to be around you, Hope. It hurts so fucking much." Josie tells her. "Please, just give me some space. I promise, it's not you."

Hope bites her lip, tears dripping down. "Okay, I will."

* * *

Josie can't keep avoiding Hope for long. She's too in love with the girl that she just can't. It'll kill her, but it's all worth it. 

"Josie, dance with me." Hope says.

"Wh-What?" Josie asks.

"There's music playing outside, dance with me, please." Hope asks.

"Where's Landon?" Josie asks again.

"I don't want to dance with Landon." Hope says as she walks over and grabs Josie's hands, pulling the young girl up, "I want to dance with you." 

"Ok-okay." Josie mumbles out. Hope leads the two of them to the front of the school, and they start dancing. "Have I ever mentioned how beautiful you are?" 

Hope blushes, "You think?"

Josie bites her lip, "I don't think it, I know it." she spins Hope around, "You're the most beautiful girl I've ever seen." 

"You're such a sweetheart, you know." Hope says, "You deserve someone special."

"I don't think I'm worth anyone special." Josie replies. 

Hope spins Josie around, "How can you say that?" Hope frowns, "You're so selfless, Josie Saltzman." 

"thank you." Josie replies.

"Tell me a story?" Hope asks.

"While we are dancing?" Josie asks.

"Please." Hope pleads her blue eyes. 

"Okay." Josie replies, "Do you know the story of Oenone and Paris?"

"No," Hope replies, "Is it a tragic love story?"

"Yes." Josie grins, laughing as Hope groans.

"Jo, why does that big beautiful brain of yours carry the saddest tales?" Hope asks.

"That's for me to know and you to find out." Josie smirks. Making Hope blush. "Do you want me to tell you?"

"Yes please." Hope nods.

"Oenone was the tragic, heartbroken, abandoned first wife of Paris.The trojan prince. Paris ran off and got married to a beautiful, younger woman named Helen. But after the siege of the city, Paris got injured. He returned to Oenone and begged for her to take him back." Josie says.

"Did she?" Hope asks, eyes big and curious that Josie felt herself melt. 

"No, She initially refused, but after his death, she hung herself." Josie says.

"That's sad." Hope tells her.

"It is." Josie nods.

"Excuse me." Says a voice, Josie turns around to see.. _Landon._ "May I have a turn?"

"Sure." Josie says, she spins Hope one last time, sending her a soft smile before Hope finds herself in Landon's arms.

"Hey beautiful." Landon smiles charmingly.

"Hi." Hope smiles back. But something in Hope's mind screams _Josie!_ and her heart also screams _Josie!_

Josie runs off and finds herself throwing up flowers again. 

* * *

The next day, Hope finds Josie reading.

"Hey Josie." Hope smiles.

"Hi Hope." Josie replies. "What's up?" 

"Come with me. I want to show you something." Hope says.

"I want to tell you a story first." Josie tells her. "The story of Pyramus and Thisbe"

"Okay." Hope says, she plops down next to Josie, cuddling close and breathing in the scent of Strawberries and Vanilla. A scent Hope loved and knew all too well. "I'm ready."

"Their story is similar to that of Romeo and Juliet's. Their love was so epic though and so strong, they went against their parents wishes and saw each other in secrecy. One day, while visiting each other by a lake in secrecy, Thisbe was sitting under a tree saw a lioness with blood on her jaw, and the lioness was thirsty for water. Thisbe panicked and ran off to hide, unfortunately dropping her veil." Josie says.

"Don't stop, keep going." Hope pushes." 

"Thisbe ran off to hide in a cave and the lioness got ahold of Thisbe's veil and got blood all over it. When Pyramus returned, all he saw was the bloody veil and thought the worst, unable to bear the pain of his beloved being killed by an animal. So he took his sword and took his own life." Josie went on. "When Thisbe returned, she saw her beloved Pyramus lying there, dead. Overwhelmed with her own pain, Thisbe took her own life as well." 

"Why is it always tragic?" Hope asks.

"Because I don't think mythology had many tales of happily ever after." Josie replies.

"Now come with me." Hope says.

"Where are we going?" Josie asks as she feels the older girl pull her up.

"It's a secret." Hope replies.

* * *

Hope leads Josie to her garden, her secret garden.

"Josie, this is my secret garden," Hope says, "I planted all these flowers. Especially the lavender ones."

"Hope, it's beautiful." Josie says, "Have..have you ever shown this to Landon?"

"No, I only have ever shown _you_." Hope says. "You're my best friend. You're incredibly special to me." she walks over and places a rose in Josie's hair. "Beautiful." Hope says, "Just stunning."

Josie blushes. _That's you._ she thinks.

"What do you think?" Hope asks as she inhales a deep breath, taking in the warmth of the sun, enclosed in a warm blanket of the sun's shining rays. Josie could swear Hope's a literal angel. Carved by the hands of the Gods themselves. A literal Goddess of Beauty. _Surely,_ Athena envied Hope. While staring at Hope's radiant beauty, Josie can feel her heart beating and the flower inside her blooming and blooming. 

"It's the most beautiful place I've ever seen." Josie says, "Hope-"

"I wanted to share this with you because I feel like such a shitty friend. I'm so sorry I hurt you, I hope by me showing you this special place, you know how much you mean to me, and know that no boy can break the love I have for you." Hope says. 

"Hope-" Josie tries to say again, but Hope's still rambling about her non romantic affection for Josie.. and Josie's heart is bursting and shining. She can feel her heart racing and her face set ablaze. All Josie can think about is the tragic tale of Eurydice and Orpheus. Surely, if Eurydice was as beautiful to Orpheus as Hope is to Josie, Josie too, would never love again. 

"Sometimes, I wonder why I ever came back. It wasn't just because of Landon.." Hope pauses and gives Josie a smile, "But because of you too." 

Josie knew this feeling inside of her was wrong, it's all too wrong. She has a pinch of faith, a pinch of hope that maybe, Hope loves her too. 

"Hope." Josie says again, capturing the girls attention."

"Just take in the beauty of it all, Jo. This can be _our place_ , _our secret place_." Hope says. "We can come here and you can tell me stories." 

Josie licks her lips, tears are falling down her cheeks, she has a speck of hope, maybe Hope does love her the same way. Maybe. Just maybe, she'd get the girl of her dreams, and she'd get a wish to come true. 

"I'm in love with you." Josie says weakly.

"What?" Hope asks, shocked

"I'm _hopelessly, desperately, utterly, inexorably, irrevocably,_ in love with you, Hope Andrea Mikaelson." Josie says, "I've been in love with you since we first met. It was love at first sight. You are an absolute divinity of perfection."

"Josie-" Hope says, but Josie's rambling. 

"I've been in love with you for so long, I can't even remember if there was a time where I wasn't. I'm so in love with you, I try to make up reasons to see you. I'm in love with your laugh, your smile, I'm in love with your little comments and gasps when I tell you a story, I'm in love with your little giggles and eyerolls. I love when you try to act tough but you're embarrassed about something. I love cuddling up to you while I tell you a tale. I love you with all my being, Hope Andrea Mikaleson." Josie speaks, her heart is spilling out all the feelings and it's like a weight has been lifted off of her shoulder. "I am so hopelessly in love with you, I accidentally burnt your fucking room down!" 

"Josie-" Hope says, "Slow down." But Josie's on a roll.

"I love how you light up a room when you enter it, I'm in love with everything about you." Josie says, she breathes heavily. 

"Josie." Hope sobs, "I'm so, so sorry.,"

Josie knows by the sound of her voice, she isn't getting the love she so desperately wants, back. It hurts, everything is hurting. " _I love you, Hope Andrea Mikaelson._ " she says, finally getting out every word she's ever wanted to say to Hope, "The way you love him." she says, "But you don't love me that way, right?" 

"I'm so, so sorry Josie." Hope sobs, "I had no clue, I'm so sorry..but.. but you know-"

Everything hurts. The lavender rose pushing itself against Josie's ribs, she knew it wouldn't happen, of course, Hope isn't in love with her, but she had this fantasy in her mind. Being taken to this secret place, and the only one who Hope has ever shared it with, Hope telling her it can be theirs, Hope calling her special.Hope looking at her like she was extraordinary. She had a glimpse of hope inadvisedly, she had a tad bit of hope, a bit of faith that maybe, just maybe, Hope loves her too. "It's okay. I knew you would not feel the same way." she laughs a little. "I just thought you should know before it's too late…" Josie steps away, and Hope feels cold. She misses the warmth that Josie radiates. 

"Josie, please don't step back." Hope says quietly. She tries to step closer, causing Josie to step back.

"It hurts." Josie says, "It hurts all too much." she leans in closer, they're inches apart. Josie does something that was unexpected. She kisses Hope, just as it starts to rain, soaking the girls uniform and hair, Hope is melting into it, but she pulls back, leaving Hope wanting more. More of Josie's kisses, more of Josie's romantic confession of love. She wants Josie too. "I'm sorry," Josie says, "I shouldn't have done that." The flower is blooming and blooming, bursting it's way, fighting Josie's lungs against her will. 

"Josie, please-" Hope sobs, "It's okay-" But it hurts to be near Hope, it hurts so, so much, there's _so much fucking pain_ that Josie feels. So she takes off and she runs away from Hope. Away from her greatest love, her epic love and the greatest heartbreak she has ever felt in her entire life, away from a soulmate that was never truly meant to be. "Josie, wait! Don't go! Please!" but Josie's gone. Hope's whole chest is heaving and she feels the greatest heartbreak she's ever felt. It was the same feeling she felt when she saw Josie and Landon. Only it hasn't dawned on her that she feels the same way for Josie as Josie feels for her. She collapses onto the ground, grabbing her chest and screams and cries, begging Josie to come back. "Please come back." 

* * *

Josie runs into the woods just as it starts to rain harder. "Why did you do this to me!" She cries, "It hurts! It fucking hurts!" she falls to the ground and smashes her hands into the pavement, bruising it and making it bleed. "My heart is broken! literally and metaphorically!" 

Pothos reappears, "Josette. That was very brave." he hums.

"Why was I cursed, what did I do?" Josie sobs, "It's not fucking fair!" 

"I'm so sorry child, it was not your fault. It was the fault of the man who cursed the disease." Pothos says. "I have something to ease your pain." he pulls out a vial that is golden, speckled with red and pink. "This is from our nectar tree. I call it ambrosia healing." he hands her the vial, "drink, you'll feel better. It will put the flower into a dormant state and you should feel much more comfortable"

Josie opens it and drinks it, tasting vanilla and sugar. "Thank you." she sobs, "Pothos, I don't know what to do! Please help me," 

"Child, you must decide if you will take the cure or not. If your last petal falls by next Saturday's sunset, _you will die_." Pothos says sadly. Leaving Josie to sob more. Homecoming day, she'd be dying.

* * *

Josie returns back to school and her dorm room, pants and shirt covered in mud and her entire body is soaked.

"Josie, what-the-hell-happened?" Lizzie demands.

"Nothing." Josie lies.

"Do not fucking lie to me Josie, I felt you dying!" Lizzie cries, "What happened!"

"I told Hope I love her!" Josie cries back, "I told her, Lizzie, I told her and I-I kissed her!!"

"Oh Josie.." Lizzie says as she pulls Josie in, "You kissed her?"

"I did, my body urged me to kiss her so I did!" Josie sobs.

* * *

_Friday before Homecoming:_

Hope approaches Josie, she's nervous, it's been a week since Josie confessed, and she's been avoiding her ever since. 

"Josie!" Hope calls, she sees Josie's about to run, "Wait! Please, I just wanna talk."

The desperation and pain in Hope's voice puts Josie to a halt. "Yes?" 

"Are you going to homecoming?" Hope asks, she fiddles with her bracelet that Josie made for her. Is she blushing?" 

"Yes, I am." Josie replies. 

"Will you save me a dance?" Hope asks, she blushes a bit, "Please."

"You want me to dance with you?" Josie gulps.

"Yes." Hope says. "Please, Jo, save me a dance." 

"Yes, I will save you a dance." Josie says. 

"Yes!" Hope squeals, pulling Josie in for a hug, "Promise me you won't shut me out. You being in love with me won't change how I look at you."

"I promise." Josie replies. 

Hope hugs her longer. "And promise me you won't ever die on me."

Josie suppressed a sob, "I promise." 

* * *

_Saturday:_

Josie enters the ballroom wearing a light baby blue dress, her hair is curled and she's wearing Hope's gift she gave her last year. 

"There you are." Says a voice, Josie turns around and is speechless, there stood Hope Mikaelson in a light green dress. 

"Hope." Josie says, "You look beautiful. But you're always beautiful."

Hope blushes, she notices the way Josie's looking at her, and not even Landon looks at her that way. "Thank you, you look beautiful as well."

"May I have this dance?" Josie asks as she bows.

Still blushing, Hope giggles and nods as she curtsies. "Of course." 

Josie led her away to the dance floor and they began to dance. "Josie, the conversation at the garden-." Hope's about to say.

"I meant every word, I love you, Hope Mikaelson, I'll love you til my dying breath and in the afterlife as well." Josie says, she spins Hope around. "I love you, but you and Landon are meant to be, you're like two peas in a pod." She continues, "I shouldn't have kissed you, I was just so overtaken with emotions, but I know the truth now." she says, "You, Hope Mikaelson, are my greatest love."

Hope blushes again and butterflies flutter around in her belly, "Josie.." 

"I don't want you to ever blame yourself for what happens to me. You are an encompass of beauty. A gold found in a diamond mind. You are a true goddess, Hope Andrea Mikaelson. And I hope someday, you'll understand." Josie says.

Hope's blushing at every sweet word that Josie says and she feels dizzy, she wants to kiss her but she can't. "Josie. you're so sweet to me, I don't deserve you."

Josie shakes her head, kissing her cheek, making Hope blush more, "No, Hope, it is I, who will never deserve you." 

"Jo-" Before Hope can say another word, Josie spins her one last time and she's in the arms of Landon. 

"You're looking rather gorgeous tonight, Miss Mikaelson." Landon smiles.

Josie exits the school and heads towards the back, she starts to fall forward, coughing up blood and her dress starts to get stained too. She's in so much pain.

"Josette, are you taking the cure?" Pothos asks.

"No," Josie replies, "I do not want to put Hope in a situation where she will have to face death. I love her." 

"Are you certain, it's almost sun down." Pothos reminds her.

"I'm certain." Josie replies. She collapses and spews out lavender roses by the dozen. The sun sets and Josie feels the last petal fall, she's now gone. 

* * *

"You look beautiful. But you're always beautiful." Josie says. Hope can't help but blush at Josie's sweet words. Josie leads her out to the dance floor.

"I meant every word, I love you, Hope Mikaelson, I'll love you til my dying breath and in the afterlife as well." Josie says, Hope is spun around. "I love you, but you and Landon are meant to be, you're like two peas in a pod." Josie continues, Hope wonders why she never feels the way she does around Josie when she's with Landon, "I shouldn't have kissed you, I was just so overtaken with emotions, but I know the truth now." she says. Hope wants to say, _you can kiss me whenever you want,_ "You, Hope Mikaelson, are my greatest love." _and you're mine_.

Hope blushes more, and her heart is racing, She feels dizzy and like she's walking on a cloud. 

"I don't want you to ever blame yourself for what happens to me. You are an encompass of beauty. A gold found in a diamond mind. You are a true goddess, Hope Andrea Mikaelson. And I hope someday, you'll understand." Josie says to her. 

Hope is now blushing at every sweet word that Josie says and she feels even more dizzy, she wants to kiss her but she can't. "Josie. you're so sweet to me, I don't deserve you."

Josie shakes her head, kissing Hope's cheek, setting her ablaze, "No, Hope, it is I, who will never deserve you." 

"Jo-" Before Hope can say another word, Josie spins her one last time and she's in the arms of Landon. 

"You're looking rather gorgeous tonight, Miss Mikaelson " Landon smiles as she and him begin to dance. 

Right, Landon, her boyfriend, her greatest love. _.right?_ But then she starts to wonder why she feels cold. Landon is sweet to her, but he doesn't give her that rush of energy that Josie does, whenever she's with Landon, she misses Josie. He doesn't make Hope blush the way Josie does, in fact, Josie's the only person who has ever made the great Hope Andrea Mikaelson blush so red that you'd think she's a tomato. It's almost as if- 

"oh my gosh." Hope gasps quietly, she finally realizes the truth, the truth about herself and it dawns on her, the most incredible realisation she's ever fucking felt.. She's in love with Josie. It's always been Josie. It will always be Josie. "I have to go, Landon, I'm sorry." She lets go, ignoring Landon's calls and goes to find Josie. When she can't, she starts to panic and finds Lizzie.

"Where's Josie?" Hope asks. 

"I don't know, but I have an awful feeling." Lizzie replies. Just then she screams, falling to the ground and grabbing her chest, "No! Josie, no!" she screams, "This can't be happening! Please no Josie! NO!." 

Hope panics, she runs out of the school just as it starts to rain, she runs into the woods and finds Josie lying there, bleeding and lavender roses spewing out of her mouth. "Josie!" She screams, "Oh my god, I'm coming!" she rushes to her side and cradles her, "I'm here, I'm right here."

"Hope?" Josie gasps out, "I'm sorry."

"Shhh.." Hope sobs, "Don't apologize. It's okay, I'm right here." she kisses the top of Josie's forehead. 

"Hope." Says Pothos, "it's too late." 

* * *

_Present Time:_

Hope Mikaelson cries and screams, cursing at the Gods as she's holding Josette Salzman's dying body in her arms. She has zero clue as to what the hell is happening, but she just knows she's too late and the girl she's in love with is almost gone. She looks up at the God before her.

"What did you do to her!?" She growls angrily, trying to wrap Josie up with her mud stained dress. ( _Hope knows she hates being cold._ ) 

"I did not do anything, Child." The God hums, "Josette made this choice all on her own." 

"I-I don't understand." Hope sobs, "What happened? Who did this!?"

"Josette was cursed with a deadly disease known as Hanahaki disease." The God tells Hope. 

"C-cursed? But why? By who?" Hope asks as she stares back down at Josie, tracing her jawline, whose eyes are still trickling with blood and tears, and her mouth spewing up lavender roses, "Why didn't you tell me you idiot, I could have helped you." 

"You couldn't save Josette even if you tried, Hope. She chose to save you." The God tells her.

"S-Save me? Save me how?" Hope asks.

The God nods sadly, "She chose not to take the cure. She was very insistent on not taking it if she knows what it would do.." he pauses, "To you."

"Do to me? She asks. "What would her taking the cure do to me?" 

"When two souls are bound together, and one makes an ultimate price, the other is lost and broken." The God speaks, "If a cure is taken, a life shall be saved but another shall be taken."

Hope dawns on the realization, "Josie refused the cure to save my life?" 

The God nods sadly, "Yes, Hope. She said her love for you was too strong and too much for her to ever take the cure." 

"But there's still time! I can still save her!" Hope gasps at the sudden realization, "Where's the cure? Do you have it?"

"I do, but Josette refused, so that means I cannot-" he was cut off.

"I don't fucking care! _I could save her!_ I said, _Give. me. the. cure_." Hope growls angrily. The God nods, motioning his hands to reveal a vial of a golden liquid speckled with yellow and pink.

"Very well." He says, handing her the vial.

"It'll be okay, Josie," Hope says softly while sobbing, "Just-just hold on, okay?" she opens the top of the vial and tries to make Josie drink it, but Josie refuses, "What do you mean 'no', you're dying! Let me help you, okay? There's still time!" _Only not enough_ . "Josie, listen to me, take the cure! Please!" but Josie's still refusing. She takes her hand and places it over Hope's free one, nodding in place, as if she's telling Hope it's okay and it's her time. " _No_ , it's not your time!" Hope argues, She forces Josie to take it, placing the cure into her mouth before desperately, tossing the vial as far away from her as she can, "come on, come on, come on," Hope mutters. It's too late now, Josie places a hand on Hope's cheek. Her eyes are faltering. Left and Right. Right and Left. Then her hand falls and hits the ground and her eyes shut.

"Josie! fuck-" Hope curses, "You are not dying on me, Josie, you never give up, _Josie Saltzman never gives up_ , so wake up!" she sobs, "Wake up, wake up, wake up!" she grabs Josie's lifeless shoulders and begins to shake her, "Wake up! Please!" She looks back up at the God. Whose eyes are brimmed with tears. "Can you help save her?"

The God shakes his head sadly, "I'm afraid I cannot, Hope."

"So that's it then!? She's just gone!?" Hope cries. "Just like that?" 

He nods his head sadly, "I'm afraid that's the answer I can give you." 

"Bullshit!" Hope seethes wetly, "There must be something you can do!"

"I'm sorry, Hope Mikaelson." The God says, "But there really isn't." And before Hope can muster up another word, he's gone.

"Wait! come back, please" She cries, "I still have no idea what's going on but please! Save her!" she sobs, "I-I love her!" she looks down at Josie, "I love you, you idiot, I'm so in love with you.Why didn't you take the cure." She buries her face in Josie's chest, slamming her fist onto the wet, muddy pavement, ignoring the fact her knuckles were getting bruised and bloody, and she cries and cries, as she screams muffled about how much she loves her. " _You promised_ you wouldn't die on me!" Hope cries again, "Please Josie, _You promised!_ " she curses to the Gods. "WHY DID YOU TAKE HER FROM ME." She belows. "I will avenge you Josie, I promise." and just then, Hope feels her humanity turn off. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the nectar part was inspired by the author of take a trip into my garden xx ( chrysanthemum_red)

**Author's Note:**

> xxxx


End file.
